Winch dyeing machine having a variable contoured winch drum



March 25, 1969 E. STANWAY WINCH DYEING MACHINE HAVING A VARIABLE CONTOURED WINCH DRUM Sheet Filed July 6. 1966 INVENTOQ BY EDWARD STANWAY ATTO R N EYS March 25, 1969 STANWAY WINCH DYEING MACHINE HAVING A VARIABLE CONTOURED WINCH DRUM Sheet Filed July 5, 1966 INVE NT F? EDWARD STANWAY ATTORNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 226-191 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A winch dyeing machine having a variable contoured winch drum including a shaft having two substantially diamond-shaped discs mounted thereon and link arms pivoted together at their ends and pivoted intermediate their ends at the corners of the diamond-shaped discs to provide a winch in which the peripheral contour is variable from a circle to an ellipse in cross section having a ratio between the major and minor axes up to 2:1.

This invention relates to improvements in winch dyeing machines of the type in which the fabric in rope form passes over a winch arranged at one end of the machine which plaits the fabric into the dye liquor and is drawn therethrough over a roller at the opposite end of the machine.

In the dyeing of fabrics in a winch dyeing machine the fabric in the piece is inserted into the machine in rope form, i.e., the fabric is bunched together width wise into irregular folds to occupy some 7" to 8" of the width of the machine, the ends of the fabric being sewn together after passing over the winch and roller. Further pieces are similarly inserted throughout the width of the machine.

It has been proposed to employ winches which are circular or elliptical in cross section to traverse the fabric through the dye liquor and oval winches have been found to give the most satisfactory results as an oval winch plaits the fabric as it falls therefrom into the liquor and in order to create the plaits the ratio of the major axis of the winch to the minor axis has been up to 2:1.

The plaiting action, however, has the effect that as the ropes pass over the winch the speed of the delivery of the fabric is altered due to the difference in diameter of the major and minor axes, and whilst this does not affect fabrics which do not deform easily, it can have serious disadvantages in certain other fabrics, notably those which are thermaplastic at the temperature necessary for the dyeing process.

Also-and this is particularly so with some knitted fabrics-the mechanical structure of the fabric may be such that the fabric, when finished is stretched in length and contracted in width. In order to overcome this defect the ratio between the major and minor axes of the winch has been decreased.

Difliculty is thus introduced in the dyeing of fabrics of differing materials and the object of the present invention is to provide a winch in which the ratio of the diameters of the major and minor axes thereof is adjustable between a predetermined maximum and minimum.

According to the invention a winch for winch dyeing machine is constructed with supporting members formed of a plurality of discs pivoted together for relative movement to provide a winch drum in which the diameter is variable from a circle to an ellipse in cross section, having a ratio between the major and minor axes of up to 2:1 and means for locking the member in any required position.

3,434.;642 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 This invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of a Winch dyeing machine.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the winch.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the winch to a larger scale when contracted into a circle.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the winch when expanded into an ellipse.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of one end of a modified winch spindle and an end member.

A winch dyeing machine is formed in known manner with a winch A at one end and a roller C at the other over which the fabric 1 in the piece passes in rope form with the ends sewn together, a plurality of lengths of fabric being arranged across the width of the machine separated by pegs on a pivoted plate for stopping the machine if a piece of fabric becomes jammed; or alternatively for very long lengths of fabric the roped fabric may extend spirally between the pegs for the full width of the machine. A midfeather a may be provided to depend below the Winch A to control the passage of the fabric to the roller C.

The winch A is supported by end members B each constructed with two substantially diamond-shaped discs b one of which may be keyed on the spindle b, pivoted at their corners to the mid points of link arms b the link arms b being pivoted together at their ends. The link arms 11 are formed with an outer peripheral surface as the segment of a circle and carry winch leg straps b welded to the peripheral surface.

The discs b are provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged holes or with two or more concentric slots b through which bolts b pass to clamp the discs together. By rotating one disc b relatively to the other disc the bolts b slide in the slots. When the bolts b are at one end of the slots the discs b are substantially at right angles (FIG. 3) and the lag supporting arms [2 substantially in a circle. When the discs I) are rotated to bring the bolts b to the opposite end of the slots b the lag arms b are positioned substantially in the form of an ellipse the ratio of the major and minor axes of which is substantially 2:1.

When the holes are employed in place of the slots b the discs I: may be secured together by bolts b passed through pairs of the holes in the discs to position the discs in one of a plurality of positions from a circle to an ellipse the maximum ratio of the major and minor' axes of which is substantially 2:1.

After setting the end members B the bolts b are tightened in the slots b or holes and the pivots of the discs I) and arms b and the pivots between the arms b are tightened to lock the members B with the required eccentricity.

A supporting end member B is provided at each end of the winch and if the machine is more than 8 ft. in width the lag supporting arms b are supported intermediate their ends by a further member similar in construction to the end members and the central portion of the shaft b is divided.

As shown in FIG. 5 the shaft may be formed in three or more parts the outer portion b is supported in bear-- ings in the machine frame and a centre portion b preferably tubular. A flange b is secured to the outer portion b of the shaft and provided with holes or a slot through which the bolt b passes to lock the two discs b to the flange b". The centre portion b is journalled in the flange l2 and the discs b are free to rotate on the portion b Stays may be provided from the shaft b to the disc b mounted thereon to give support thereto.

In order to prevent the end ropes of fabric from wandering off the winch, guide rails may be affixed to the side walls of the machine casing in the path of the fabric.

A winch dyeing machine constructed in accordance with the invention has the following advantages:

(a) The adjustable winch is simple in construction and to adjust.

(b) As the shape is adjusted the peripheral dimensions remain constant and thus the speed settings of the drive do not require adjustment with the shape of the winch.

(c) Any variations in shape are obtainable from a substantially circular cross section of the end member to an ellipse the major and minor axes of which have a 2:1 rate.

(d) As many intermediate support members may be provided as required.

What I claim is: p

1. A winch dyeing machine of the type referred to having a winch drum comprising a shaft, a plurality of supporting members mounted on said shaft, means connecting said supporting members and permitting relative pivotal motion therebetween to provide a winch in which the peripheral contour is variable from a circle to an ellipse in cross section, having a ratio between the major and minor axes of up to 2:1, and means for locking said members in any desired position.

2. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 1, said sup porting members comprising discs, said shaft being formed in a plurality of concentric parts, a flange on one of said parts and bolts for fixing said flange to at least one of said discs.

3. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 1 having said drum at one end and a roller at the opposite end thereof, a midfeather mounted on the machine below said drum for guiding a fabric from said drum to said roller.

4. A winch dyeing machine of the type referred to having a winch drum comprising 'a shaft, a plurality of sup porting members comprising two substantially diamondshaped discs mounted on said shaft, link arms pivoted together at their ends and pivoted intermediate their ends at the corners of said diamond-shaped discs, each being formed with apertures arranged radially, bolts passing through said apertures in said discs for varying the peripheral contour of said link arms to provide a winch in which said peripheral contour is variable from a circle to an ellipse in cross section, having a ratio between the major and minor axes of up to 2: l, and means for locking said discs in any desired position.

5. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 4 in which lag straps are mounted on the link arms to extend between two supporting members.

6. A winch dyeing machine as in claim 4 having a key for afiixing one disc to the shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,945 5/1924 Wyatt 74-568 ALLEN N. KNOWLES, Primary Examiner. 

